Archive for the 'Westwood' Category

While there are many vibrant Persian establishments in Tehrangeles, none are quite as sweet as Saffron & Rose Ice Cream. The shop is named after its signature flavor, a creamy and floral mash up scented with saffron and dotted with pistachios. There’s a nut-less version available as well, but the man scooping behind the counter always insists on the one with the bright green pistachios.

In addition to its namesake flavor, the shop churns out over a dozen different varieties ranging from fascinating (orange blossom, white rose, dates) to familiar (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla). Since the taste of rosewater makes me feel like I’m chugging down a bottle of Kiehl’s toner, I selected a scoop of ginger, sandwich between two thin crispy wafers.

I couldn’t resist making a quick stop in Westwood to visit Stan’s Donuts while staycationing nearby in Century City. Expertly made deep-fried dough is one of my all-time favorite sweets, and I’d heard rumblings that Stan Berman’s creations delivered a satisfying punch.

This old school doughnut shop has been serving the Westwood Village community since 1965. There were nearly fifty varieties of doughnuts available when The Astronomer and I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon. The flavors on offer were mostly standard, with a few notable gourmet options as well.

Scanning the four shelves of doughnuts, the “custard puff” ($2.50) was the first one to catch my eye. The cool, smooth, and vanilla-tinged custard paired extraordinarily well with the yeast-risen dough. The thin coat of chocolate frosting added depth and oomph.